There were 600 allegations of child abuse and neglect in Bermuda last year but the true number of cases could be closer to 6,000, according to a charity boss.

Martha Dismont, executive director of the Family Centre, told the joint select committee on violent crime and gun violence yesterday that the official statistics she obtained from the Department of Child and Family Services probably only represented ten percent of the reality.

The same committee later heard a breakdown of the 93 instances of sexual abuse reported to Child and Family Services last year from the Department’s director, plus 254 cases of neglect. Alfred Maybury also listed behavioural problems identified in children last year, including 18 cases of “child on child” sexual abuse.

Ms Dismont described a recent surge in the number of families referred to her charity and argued that unaddressed “family-based trauma” be it emotional trauma, neglect, abuse or unhealthy relationships was at the heart of the Island’s rising crime problem.

She said many children were living in homes with adult offenders and were very impressionable and likely to exhibit the same behaviour. “Families in chronic chaos live below the normal rules for social order,” Ms Dismont told MPs.

She said there was an increase of more than 60 percent in the number of families referred to the Family Centre for help in 2009, as well as a 53 percent rise in the number given counselling (218 families).

The charity enrolled 90 families in its most intensive programme an increase of 87 percent from the previous year. Ms Dismont said in 85 to 100 per cent of cases, problems do not recur once families receive help.

“I honestly believe that there are at least 900 families on this Island that need the type of services that we provide,” she added. “I think two to 300 are being served by other agencies. We certainly have a waiting list that is a huge problem for us. We decided yesterday we have got to get more staff.”

She described Bermuda’s social problems from rising house prices and poor high school graduation rates to the fact that almost a third of families were living below the poverty line when the 2000 census was taken.

“The number of people seeking financial assistance rose by a third in the past year, with up to 1,400 families now dependent on Government assistance,” she said.

“Referrals for ‘at risk’ children have risen by more than ten percent in the past three years and nearly 600 children were referred to Government’s Family Services last year for abuse, neglect and exposure to domestic violence.”

The Family Centre’s mission, she said, was to strengthen families and systems to create a healthier community for children.

Mr Maybury told the committee his staff visited Facebook and “some other messenger services” to obtain information on sexual abuse perpetrators, since some used those services to exploit youngsters. He cited three cases which led to convictions and prison sentences.

The director described the different kinds of child neglect identified in 2009: domestic violence (42 cases), lack of supervision (41), accommodation (38), unsafe environments (30), inadequate clothing (20), medical (15), moral danger (12), emotional (12), substance abuse (11), abandonment (nine), lack of pre-natal care (five) and food (four).

He also outlined behavioural issues seen in youngsters by Department officers: violent behaviour (19 cases), children out of parental control (18), child on child sex abuse (18), runaways (13), truants (14), substance abuse (three) and promiscuity (three).

Mr Maybury said: “We have now made some changes within the Department so that we can more effectively address the issues related to violent behaviour and children being out of control.”

He said a special high-risk unit was being set up as pledged in the Throne Speech to help such children.